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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27543802">A Welcome Distraction</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles'>queen_scribbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Speaker (Interactive Fiction)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:14:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27543802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Callie's never been good with sitting still, especially when she's worried.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>(implied; pre relationship), Female Speaker/Sebastian Wynric</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Welcome Distraction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Behold, a second Speaker fic! \o/ Kinda vague bc I don’t know how far down the timeline this would be, but subtle to not-so-subtle Callie/Sebastian pining ahoy. :3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Callie was more than a little surprised she hadn’t worn a hole through the shoddy motel carpet with her pacing.</p>
<p>She ran one hand through her hair, tugged a little on the ends before she let go. “Why aren’t they back yet? What’s taking so long?!”</p>
<p>Sebastian looked up from his tablet to glance between her and the clock on the wall. “We’re still well within the time they thought it might take,” he pointed out.  “I’m sure they’re fine.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well, it’s not your sister out there,” Callie muttered, sucking her teeth.</p>
<p>“But they<em> are</em> both my friends,” Sebastian replied, far more graciously than she might have if the tables were turned. “And Liam warned you your estimate was maybe a little optimistic.”</p>
<p>“I <em>know</em>,” she groaned. She flopped back spread eagle on one of the beds, but immediately bounced back to her feet and resumed pacing. “But optimism is what I <em>do</em>. Unless I’m worried about Delia or... someone else I care about. And it’s been over an hour and I really thought they’d be back by now.” She huffed and dropped into the chair across the small table from where Sebastian sat, her knee bouncing. “God, I need a distraction...”</p>
<p>“What would you normally do?” he asked.</p>
<p>“To deal with stress? Clean, go bouldering...” she sighed. “Nothing that’s an <em>option</em> right now.”</p>
<p>Sebastian looked at her for a few seconds more, then tapped a couple spots on the tablet screen and held it out over the table toward her. “Would reading help?”</p>
<p>Callie arched a brow as she took the tablet, trying not to notice how warm the leather cover was from his hands. “You aren’t worried I’ll make fun of your taste in literature?” she teased.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m fairly sure you <em>will</em>,” Sebastian returned, a glimmer of amusement in his bright green eyes, “but I wouldn’t be much of a gentleman if I didn’t offer.”</p>
<p>“Sweet of you,” she said glibly, fighting back a grin. “Just for that, I’ll keep any potential smart-ass remarks to myself.”</p>
<p>Delia would have fired back with something like ‘<em>Will wonders never cease</em>’. Sebastian just gave a small chuckle and sat back in his chair, that same glimmer of amusement lingering in his eyes. “Sweet of you.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” she laughed as she looked down at the screen. “Wouldn’t want Delia to think I’m going soft.”</p>
<p>Callie had to bite her lip as she skimmed over the front cover and synopsis of the novel he was currently reading. She definitely would normally have some <em>comments</em>. But she’d promised to keep them to herself and she was a woman of her word. Besides, it wasn’t a <em>bad</em> story, going by the synopsis, just not the sort of thing she’d expect someone like him to enjoy.</p>
<p><em>Then again...</em> she chided herself, mentally reviewing the past weeks. On second thought it made perfect sense.</p>
<p>After a minute’s evaluation. Callie passed the tablet back with a rueful shake of her head. “It does sound interesting, and I appreciate the offer, but I’m not good at the ‘sitting still’ thing for long even when I’m not being a worrywart” --she nodded toward her still-bouncing knee-- “so I wouldn’t be able to focus. Seems like a waste; ‘specially if you’re actually enjoying it. But thanks.”</p>
<p>Sebastian nodded, smiling faintly at her rambling--had he figured out she was a nervous talker, too? Probably, he <em>was</em> a detective and all--and took the tablet back. “You’re welcome.”</p>
<p>“Maybe I’ll read it some other time,” Callie said as she pushed back to her feet and resumed pacing. “If that’s okay, I mean. Just right now I’m more needing to <em>do</em> something-” She froze midsentence, prompting a mildly concerned look from Sebastian, and then lunged for her scuffed pink and orange duffel bag. She could feel him watching her rifle through the pockets, even if he didn’t ask the expected ‘<em>Everything okay?’</em></p>
<p>Her fingers finally brushed against what she’d been hoping for squished at the bottom of an inner pocket. She scooped it out with a triumphant, “I <em>do </em>have some!”</p>
<p>“Some what?”</p>
<p>“This.” She turned to exhibit her handful of dark green and black embroidery-weight thread, squished and slightly pilled from the time spent in a pocket.  “Wouldn’t be my first choice of colors--prob’ly why they’re what’s left--but it’s better than nothin’.” She plunked back in the chair she’d vacated, folding her legs up crisscross under herself. “Been so long since I’ve needed that duffel I forgot it was in there.”</p>
<p>Sebastian watched her as she straightened out the thread and picked off the worst of the pilling without saying a word. Despite his silence, Callie still felt the need to explain herself.</p>
<p>“Macrame,” she said, laying the threads next to each other as she smoothed the kinks. “Y’know, little knotted bracelets. I like making ‘em ‘cause they’re real quick to do once you know the knots well enough, so it doesn’t take a <em>lot </em>of time. But it’s something to keep my hands busy when I need it. Like now.”</p>
<p>“Mm.” He nodded. “Glad you have something.” And he turned his attention back to the tablet screen, pulling up his marked page. </p>
<p>Callie huffed a laugh through her nose. “Yeah, me, too.” She picked up the thread and slid her fingers down the length to measure. “Hey, Sebastian? Can I, um, borrow your wrist a sec?”</p>
<p>He glanced up, brow arched as he drawled, “Why?”</p>
<p>“I wanna do this bracelet for Li; he’ll like the colors even if I don’t, but I need to make sure it’s at least roughly guy-sized, and you’re the only one I’ve got.” Her ears warmed. “Not that I- never mind.” She shook her head. Best to at least<em> try </em>keeping the foot in mouth comments to a minimum. For all the luck she usually had in that area...</p>
<p>After only a moment’s hesitation, Sebastian held out his arm across the table.  “Go ahead.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, I’ll be gentle,” she joked, and caught the smile that flashed across his face. The heat in her ears spread down the back of her neck as she leaned over to try and get a rough measurement without too much physical contact. Wouldn’t want him noticing how warm she suddenly was.</p>
<p>Her thumb did brush the inside of his wrist, despite her efforts(complete accident, her hand to God). They both flinched at the light contact, and Callie was surprised to find Sebastian’s pulse nearly as fast as her own. She didn’t comment on it, of course. Just hastily finished measuring and sat back blushing even hotter than when she started.</p>
<p>“All done. Thanks,” she mumbled, staring at the thread intently as she twisted then folded it to make the starting loop and knot.</p>
<p>“Welcome,” Sebastian murmured, withdrawing his arm slowly, his attention already back on his book.</p>
<p>Silence descended between them, and it wasn’t only worry over Delia Callie needed distracting from as she pinned down the looped end and started tying knots. She had to redo three separate parts of her intended pattern, and try as she might, she couldn’t entirely convince herself that was solely thanks to being rusty. (Her gaze and thoughts repeatedly wandering a few feet to her left probably contributed. Alright, definitely contributed.) </p>
<p>The click of a keycard through the lock was a relief for more than one reason, and Delia and Liam being back safe wasn’t even top of the list. She was just tying off the bracelet, and knew right where her attention would have gone with it completed. </p>
<p>“Glad you’re okay,” Callie smiled brightly, glad to have something new to focus on as she stood and slipped the finished bracelet in her pocket. She’d give it to Liam later.</p>
<p>“And I’m glad you didn’t drive Sebastian crazy or drill yourself into the ground worrying,” Delia returned with a smirk as she plunked her backpack on the bed.  “I know how you can be, Cal.”</p>
<p>Callie laughed and forcefully repressed the urge to let her gaze drift where it had already gone several times over the last few minutes. “Well, you know. It’s just a matter of finding the right distraction.”  Despite her efforts, her eyes flicked <em>his </em>direction for the briefest second.</p>
<p>Delia’s smirk had widened when she looked back. “Do we need to knock first in the future, Cal?”</p>
<p>“<em>Delia!</em>” She smacked her arm. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I found thread to make another bracelet; it was nothing like... like <em>that</em>.” God, she was going red just<em> thinking </em>about it, <em><b>damn </b></em>her sister. “The most forward thing that happened was he offered to let me read his book. And that’s<em> not a euphemism</em>,” she added hastily in a hissed undertone, seeing the look in her sister’s eyes.</p>
<p>“You sure?” Delia grinned.</p>
<p>“Should we talk about what we found?” Liam interjected before Callie had a chance to retort. Or strangle Delia, which was an option she was giving serious consideration.</p>
<p>“Yes, sounds good,” Callie said, more than happy for the change in subject. No matter what it was, good or bad, if it kept her from saying something embarrassing, it was a very welcome distraction. </p>
<p>But nothing could distract her from the fact Sebastian kept glancing her way through the ensuing conversation. Or the little curl of warmth that realization had growing in her gut.</p>
<p>And maybe, on second thought, distraction was the last thing she wanted.</p>
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